New South Wales

New South Wales started off life in 1770 when James Cook claimed the area for Great Britain, although you'd be hard pushed to draw similarities with its namesake.   At over 6 million residents, it's Australia's most populated state, with the majority living on the coast.   It's a region of great contrast with glorious beaches, waterways, mountains and classic outback.   The Sydney set often escapes the city at weekends for the many attractions just a short drive away.

Sydney has undergone a remarkable transformation from its origins when over a thousand settlers and convicts arrived in 1788.   Its natural surroundings promised much and the development has not disappointed.   Slum clearances paved the way for urban sprawl, leaving some great Victorian architecture intact before the skyscrapers rocketed upward in the 50s.   The Opera House and Harbour Bridge has cemented Sydney's position as one of the great cities that has truly left it's colonial restraints well behind.  >> More